Perfecting the Meatball With the Chefs Behind The Meatball Shop

Meatballs. Everyone loves 'em, but why is it no one under the age of 70 seems to know how to make them without turning them into golf balls in red sauce?

Thankfully Dan Holzman and Michael Chernow—of the popular NYC mini-restaurant chain The Meatball Shop—have the cure for your meatball ills, and your spherical spaghetti enhancers can be fluffy and flavorful for the rest of your pasta-eating life. Just remember the Golden Rule of Meatballs: Use enough fat.This recipe ups the fat ante three times.

The first step, of course, is starting with the right ingredients. Too many home cooks still assume that a price is an indicator of the quality of a cut of meat. Not true: You want to get the right cut for the job, and markets tend to up the price on the leanest meats, which may mollify your dieting anxieties, but makes for meatballs that are as dry as a bone. A moderately fatty meat, like ground chuck, is perfect.

But why stop there? The secret ingredient to these juicy meatballs is a heapin' helping of diced mortadella that adds extra fat and pizzazz, making your meatballs extra moist.

Finally, let the sauce put the finishing touches on your meatballs. Incorporating heavy cream into the meat mixture adds extra moistness, as well as making everything in your bowl silky smooth and nicely substantial.